Self-inking hand stamp



p 1969 N. J. SCHILLING 3,464,352

SELF-INKING HAND STAMP Filed Aug. 25, 19s? FIGZ 2/8 4 FIG. 3 I02. 12

INVENTOR NICHOLAS J. SCHILLING 7 e .7 L4 jaw/Q6 ATTORNEYS.

3,464,352 SELF-INKING HAND STAMP Nicholas J. Schilling, 10409 S. Maplewood, Chicago, Ill. 60655 Filed Aug. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 663,295 Int. Cl. 341k 1/38; B43111 11/08 US. Cl. 101-327 2 Claims Devices for applying a specific mark or symbol to an object, such as canned or packaged goods, goods in retail food stores, have been widely used for quite some time. Invariably, however, these devices are provided with symbols permanently aflixed thereto and require separate ink pads for applying a marking substance to the marker.

The marking stamp of the invention has been designed with a self-contained supply of marking substance and a readily removable symbol carrier.

The marking stamp of the invention is provided with a reservoir for containing a supply of a marking substance. This reservoir in the body of the stamp communicates with an opening in the body. A pad, which can both absorb and transmit the marking substance in the reservoir, is placed in sealing relationship with the opening being disposed in resilient engagement with the wall bordering the opening.

The pad of the marking stamp of the invention is designed to absorb marking substances from the reservoir and to transmit the substance through the pad to the exterior thereof. The exterior of the pad may be provided with recessed or raised symbols which are continuously supplied with a sufficient quantity of marking substance for continuous marking over a substantial period of time. Since the pad is in resilient engagement with the body of the marker, it becomes a simple matter to remove one symbol pad and replace it with another.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fuly apparent from the following description of the drawing illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation in section of the marking stamp of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the marking stamp of the invention illustrating a pad with one symbol grouping.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the marking stamp of the invention illustrating a pad with another symbol grouping.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it can be seen that the marking stamp, generally designated 10, ordinarily consists of a metal cylinder 12 closed at one end by a back plate 14 and an opening 16 at the opposite end thereof.

A pad, generally designated 18, which is capable of absorbing and transmitting a marking substance contained by the marking stamp of the invention, is positioned in the open end 16 of cylinder 12. The pad 18 is preferably fabricated from a resilient foam material which will continuously absorb a marking substance (ordinarily ink) Ill) 3,464,352 Patented Sept. 2, l 969 contained in reservoir 20 of the marking stamp. The pad absorption occurs at a rate which maintains the exposed portions thereof in a continuously moist condition whereby the substance may be transferred from the pad to an object to be marked.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1, the inner surface of cylinder 12 adjacent opening 16 is counterbored to provide a recess 22. One end of pad 18 is removably inserted into opening 16 and a peripheral surface 24 of pad 18 is positioned in resilient compressive engagement with the peripheral surface defining recess 22. This resilient compressive engagement is suflicient to hold the pad in position and to retain the marking substance in reservoir 20 without leakage therefrom during use of the marking stamp.

The pad 18, as seen in FIGURE 1, has a generally cylindrical shape with a peripheral groove 26 spaced midway between the pad ends. The groove 26 defines the extent of insertion of the pad into the opening 16 and recess 22 and the portion of the pad projecting from the end of cylinder 12. As is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the flat outer end of the pad is provided with an integrally formed raised symbol 28, which may be numerals, letters or other suitable symbols. It is understood that in some applications, it may be desired to provide symbols which are recessed in the pad end. Since the pad is readily removable from the cylinder end, a variety of pads and symbols can be used with the marking stamp merely by changing the pads as required.

When using the marking stamp of the invention, the reservoir 20 is filled with a marking substance such as commonly available marking ink. The reservoir is sealed by insertion of the pad in the open end thereof. The stamp is then inverted with the pad end down, allowing a moment for the pad to absorb a quantity of marking substance suficient to moisten it. The stamp is now ready for repetitive use. When it is desired to change pads, the stamp is again inverted, the pad is removed and simply replaced by a substitute.

I claim:

1. A marker stamp comprising a body, the body including a wall forming an elongated structure closed at one end and open at the other, the body being provided with means defining a fluid reservoir for containing a marking substance, the open end of the body structure establishing communication between the fluid reservoir and the exterior of the body, pad retainer means provided adjacent the opening of the body for engagement with a fluid absorbent and transmitting marker stamp pad, the pad retainer means including a portion of the wall of the body forming a substantially continuous inwardly directed flange adjacent the opening of the end of the body, a marker stamp pad, the pad having a marking symbol integrally formed thereon, the pad and symbol being formed from a resilient foam material capable of continuously absorbing a fluid marking medium from the fluid reservoir at a rate maintaining the exposed foam pad portion in a sufficiently moist condition to produce a visually clear impression of the symbol upon a surface substantially without the blotting thereof, the marker stamp pad having a cross-section greater than that defined by the inwardly directed flange of the body and being formed with a continuous inwardly directed recess disposed between the ends thereof, the pad being inserted into the opening of the body with the inwardly directed flange of the body lodged in the recess of the pad to removably retain the pad in the opening of the body, the inserted pad having a portion thereof adjacent one end positioned in the reservoir for direct contact with a marking fluid therein and the end of the pad carrying the exposed marking symbol positioned on the exterior of the body, the inserted pad portion in the reservoir having Wall portions thereof resiliently deformed against the reservoir wall to substantially prevent fluid leakage from the reservoir.

2. The marker stamp of claim 1 wherein the elongated body structure is substantially cylindrical, the inwardly directed flange is a radially inwardly directed annular flange and the marker stamp pad has a generally cylindrical configuration with a radius of a portion thereof exceeding the radius of the opening defined by the annular flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 186,707 1/1877 Blunt 401198 219,861 9/1879 Hoggson 101327 2,316,040 4/1943 Wirfel 101-327 2,347,996 5/ 1944- Doerrler 101-327 3,141,187 7/1964 Simon et a1. 40l--199 US. Cl. X.R. 

